Overwatch League Adds Longer Breaks for Players, New Tournament Format for 2019 Season

Got a news tip?

Blizzard's Overwatch League will enter its second year in 2019 and the league is implementing some changes to accommodate for the larger roster of teams heading into the new season.

The Overwatch League added eight new teams to the two divisions. Paris, Toronto, Washington D.C., and Atlanta will field teams for the Atlantic Division, while Vancounver, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou will add to the Pacific Division.

Division winners and the next four top teams regardless of division will qualify for the postseason. Because of the expanded team count two more teams will play in the playoffs based on season results.

In a good move for player health and something that will hopefully prevent burnout teams will play either zero, one, or two matches per week with longer breaks during the season. There will also be an extended break during the All-Star Event which will be held between Stage Two and Stage Three.

The Overwatch League is Blizzard's organized esports league for Overwatch. Blizzard eschewed the traditional private model for a more regional model that resembles traditional sports teams. The first teams to sign on reportedly paid $20 million for a spot and the new teams next season reportedly paid even more than that.

The Overwatch League returns February 14, 2019. Right now, Overwatch is celebrating its annual Halloween event. Check out our Overwatch Halloween guide for more details.

Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. See our terms & conditions.

Matt Kim is a former freelance writer who's covered video games and digital media. He likes video games as spectacle and is easily distracted by bright lights or clever bits of dialogue. He also once wrote about personal finance, but that's neither here nor there.